Faith a Faith and Fear Not!

Job 3:25 NKJV For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.

There is a wide array of opinion and exposition written about the exact nature of Job’s comment here. Some say it refers to the context of his entire course of life, some reference Job 1:5 about his fear that his children may sin and offend God, some say that as calamity began Job was thrown in to a perpetual spiral of fear and as word of each catastrophe reached him he was consumed with greater fear about who or what would be next, and there are numerous pages and volumes written about these ideas and others. Regardless of the specific nature of Job’s fear, he feared. The context appears that he didn’t just have a fleeting thought of a fearful event but that he regularly thought and was tormented by his meditations. One rendering of the Hebrew says, “I feared a fear, and it came upon me.”

I think we should cut Job a little slack though, because according to his own words He didn’t know God Word, which hadn’t even started to be written yet, nor did he know God (Job 42:3,5). Job had only heard some things about God, but did not have a relationship with Him or know His character, nature, or promises. We do dear friends.

Where Job was subject to his fears and emotions not knowing God’s desire for him and his family, we have the God’s will, His Word, for us and every circumstance we may ever face. Job believed his fears. One might say, “he feared his fears into existence”. But you don’t have to. What if instead of “fearing a fear…” Job “faithed a faith” or better put “believed a promise”? The end result will stay the same. You will have whatever you are believing. Fear is faith in a negative and undesired outcome. We know God’s goodness and His will for us. There is no reason to fear.

Words impact our lives profoundly (Proverbs 18:20, 15:30, 16:23-24, 21:23). Death and life are in the power of the tongue Proverbs 18:21. We can limit God’s Word in our lives by what we say and whatever is in your heart will come out of your mouth (Proverbs 4:20-27, Luke 6:45). Continue to feed on God’s Word. Take fearful thoughts captive and replace them with faith filled promises regarding your situation (Philippians 4:8). I’m re-writing Job 3:25 for myself to say. “The good thing I believed has come upon me, And the promise I fully expected has happened to me.” Quit fearing a fear. Faith a faith. FEAR NOT!